The present invention relates to automatic belay (auto-belay) devices for use in climbing artificial rock climbing structures, and in particular, to a device that helps ensure that an auto-belay device has been attached to the rock climber's harness.
Rock climbing has increased in popularity over the last few decades. With the increase in popularity of rock climbing, indoor artificial climbing walls have become common place. Such structures are provided with “holds” which the climber grabs, pulls on, and steps on in order to ascend or traverse the artificial rock structure. For safety purposes and to encourage inexperienced climbers to enter this sport and use the artificial rock climbing structures, belaying is used to prevent the climber from injury if the climber loses his grip and falls from the climbing wall.
In a conventional top roped belay system, the climber is attached to one end of the rope with the rope extending upwardly above the climbing wall to a pulley or top anchor structure that is secured overhead. The other end of the rope extends downwardly to the climber's partner (belayer) who controls feeding of the rope to the climber. The climber is protected from the consequences of a fall by the belayer's ability to use a belay tool (brake device) to arrest the fall. This system relies greatly on the belayer's concentration and skill level in making the climber's ascent safe.
Due to the experience level needed for a belayer to affect a proper belay and the training required for both belayer and climber, auto-belay devices have been developed for use in indoor climbing. Several types of auto-belay devices have been developed. Some of these devices are spring-loaded reels that take up slack while the climber is ascending and utilize a braking system if the climber falls or during the climber's descent. One such commercially available auto-belay system is sold under the Redpoint Descender trademark. Another type of auto-belay system is based on hydraulicals. An example of one commercially available hydraulically operated system is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,083,142 and 6,390,952. This system is commercially available from Extreme Engineering LLC of New Castle, Calif. It is essentially a hydraulic piston mechanism that pushes apart a pair of pulley assemblies around which the climbing cable or rope extends. As the climber ascends, the slack in the climbing rope or cable is taken up by the hydraulic piston pushing apart the pulley assemblies.
For the most part, all forms of auto-belay devices, if maintained properly, work well and prevent injuries. However, in order for an auto-belay device to function to protect the climber from a fall, the climber must first hookup or attach his or her harness to the auto-belay device prior to ascending the climbing structure. Since the auto-belay device does not require a partner, the climber must remember to attach to the auto-belay device before climbing. The vast majority of the time, climbers do remember to attach to the auto-belay device. However, on occasion a climber may forget to attach to the auto-belay device and start to ascend the climbing wall with occasionally disastrous results. Injuries from falls occur despite the fact that most artificial climbing walls utilize a cushioned landing surface. Such incidences occur even to very experienced climbers that simply forget to attach the auto-belay device to their harness. As the number of people participating in this sport increases, these incidences will also increase.